Reds beat blog: Would the Reds trade a closer (Iglesias) and/or an All-Star (Gennett)? They did both in one trade in 1998

Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani discusses his season-high seven-inning outing in a 7-5 win over the Indians and how much it helps to have early run support.
The Enquirer/Bobby Nightengale

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett (3) hits an RBI single in the fourth inning during an interleague baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds, Wednesday, July 4, 2018, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. (Photo: Kareem Elgazzar)

Welcome to another edition of the Reds Beat Blog. We asked if history could repeat itself:

As we close in on the July 31 Major League Baseball trade deadline, two Reds that will take a spin or two on the old rumor mill are Scooter Gennett and Raisel Iglesias.

Would the Reds trade an All-Star? Would the Reds trade their closer?

In 1998, they did both in one trade. They sent Jeff Shaw to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 4 – after he had been named as an All-Star.

Shaw, who had signed a team-friendly deal and lived up the road in the Washington Court House, was more than little unhappy with then-GM Jim Bowden for making the deal.

But given what the Reds got for Shaw – Paul Konerko and Dennys Reyes – the deal worked out for the Reds. The Reds would flip Konerko to White Sox for Mike Cameron in the offseason. Cameron and Reyes were a big part of the 1999 team that won 96 games. Cameron was the principle in the Ken Griffey Jr. trade in February of 2000.

In retrospect, keeping Konerko or Cameron might have been the wise thing to do. But there’s no question that trading an All-Star closer was the right thing to do in ’98.

Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias (26) delivers a pitch in the top of the ninth inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, July 2, 2018. The Reds won 5-3 after an eighth inning comeback.(Photo: Sam Greene)

Is trading Gennett and/or Iglesias the right thing to do in 2018?

If the Reds could get the kind of value they did for Shaw, absolutely.

That said, I can see them moving Iglesias but not Gennett, partly for sentimental reasons, partly for business reasons. Gennett is the kind of player that owner Bob Castellini loves, and having Gennett on the roster helps sell tickets for 2019.

Iglesias isn’t the kind of fan favorite Gennett is. Nor is Iglesias as big a part of the clubhouse.

Trading either would likely hurt the team for the rest of 2018, but standing pat because of the recent surge would seem like folly.

One of the recent trade rumors tied Gennett to Dodgers. The precedent has been set for a player making the All-Star team as a Red and playing in the game as a Dodger.

RELIEF HELP? With the bullpen struggles recently, left-handers Brandon Finnegan and Wandy Peralta could find themselves back in the bigs – if they pitch well at Louisville.

Neither has good overall numbers for Bats – Peralta has a 5.68 ERA in seven games, Finnegan’s allowed four runs in 6 1/3 innings since being moved to the bullpen.

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Headed into the All-Star break, Enquirer reporter John Fay breaks down the top Reds from the last 30 years.
10.) Reggie Sanders: Hit .271 with 125 home runs, 431 RBI, and 158 stolen bases as a Red. He’ll be remembered for his struggles in 1995 NLCS, but he was a legitimate five-tool player. Archive photo

8.) Sean Casey: He hit .305 with 118 home runs and 604 RBI in his time with the Reds. Made three All-Star teams. Is arguably the nicest guy to ever play for the team, thus the nickname “The Mayor.” Archive photo

6.) Johnny Cueto: Went 92-63 with a 3.21 ERA in his stint with the Reds. He had a brilliant year in 2014 — 20-9 record, a 2.25 ERA, led the National League in strikeouts and innings pitched. Archive photo

5.) Eric Davis: A rare combination of speed and power. In 1987, he hit .293 with 37 home runs and 100 RBI — and stole 50 bases. Injuries kept him from being what he could be. Still had seven 20 homer/20 steal seasons in his 10 seasons as a Red. Archive photo

3.) Jose Rijo: He went 97-61 with a 2.83 ERA with the Reds. His crowning moment was winning the MVP in the 1990 World Series. You have to wonder what might have been if his right elbow hadn’t exploded. Archive photo

2.) Joey Votto: Votto’s fifth on the team’s WAR (Wins Above Replacement) list. Three of the players above him — Johnny Bench, Barry Larkin and Frank Robinson — are in the Hall of Fame. The other is Pete Rose. Votto’s career on-base percentage (.428) and on-base plus slugging (.963) are tops in club history. Archive photo

1.) Barry Larkin: Hall of Famer. MVP. World Series champion. 30-30. Played for the Reds his whole career. Cincinnati Kid makes good. Larkin’s numbers were impressive, but his baseball IQ was off the charts. Archive photo